HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors

Pascal Siakam scored 44 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the visiting Toronto Raptors routed the reeling New Orleans Pelicans 122-104 on Friday night.

Siakam made 17 of 28 field goals and matched his career high as the Raptors began a five-game road trip.

They'll next play the Lakers and the Clippers in Los Angeles before visiting Portland and Dallas.

OG Anunoby added 21 points, Normal Powell scored 18 off the bench and Fred VanVleet had 12 points and 11 assists as the Raptors had a much easier time than they had in beating the visiting Pelicans 130-122 in overtime in the season opener for both teams less than three weeks ago in Toronto.

Brandon Ingram scored 27 points, Jrue Holiday added 16, and Frank Jackson and rookie Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 13 points each off the bench for New Orleans, which has won just one of eight games this season.

The Raptors, who made 19 of 43 3-pointers for the game, led by 22 points at halftime and increased their lead to as many as 27 points before the Pelicans cut the deficit to 97-75 at the end of the third quarter.

Alexander-Walker made two 3-pointers during an 11-3 New Orleans spurt that got it within 100-88.

A basket by Alexander-Walker got the Pelicans within 11 at 101-90 but they could never get any closer.

Siakam had 16 first-quarter points, but the score was tied at 30 at the end of the period as eight Pelicans scored.

Toronto, which scored the final three points of the first quarter, scored the first 15 of the second quarter to open a 45-30 advantage.

Ingram's three-point play ended New Orleans' drought nearly four minutes into the period, but the Raptors maintained command.

Siakam made two 3-pointers and VanVleet made one as the lead grew to 66-41.

Toronto led by 25 points four more times -- and get the lead to 26 once -- before finishing with a 75-53 halftime lead.

--Field Level Media